When you project a new table, chances are the new table will be ordered as you wish, but only because it is a new table.
Trying to force a table to be stored in a certain order is not a good idea. You are wise to keep a backup because there is risk every time you do this. Is there a reason why you want the storage forced to a certain order? It is best to find a way to achieve your goals without resorting to this activity. Dennis -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bo Franzén Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 6:40 AM To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - RE: INSERT Interesting discussion about where INSERTed rows are placed in a SQL table! I have often noticed that there is no natural order in R:BASE, because when opening a table, new rows have been shown at the end of the table in spite of them been given a primary Key number in the middle of the index. There have been times when I have wished to have the rows shown in a Primary Key (index) order without using the ORDER OF parameter (even if this is very easy today by just clicking at the top of the column!). I have then been using the PROJECT command at the R>prompt in order to make a copy of the table using the ORDER OF parameter (R>PROJECT newtable FROM table USING * ORDER OF primaryindex ASC). Then I delete the old table followed by renaming the new table etc. Constraints might be necessary to take away before dropping (deleting) the old table and the Table Description has to be renewed in the newtable. And I never do this (or anything!) without a backup of the entire database! This works fine but if SQL datasets by definition have no natural order, as Larry writes, what happens in R:BASE when I use the ORDER OF parameter? I'm just curious! Bo Franzén Department of Economic History Stockholm University On 2008-10-30, at 21:56, Lawrence Lustig wrote: > Just had always assumed you could insert a row in the > middle of the dataset. Kind of like altering the table you > can insert a column at a given position. > SQL datasets by definition have no natural order. Therefore, the idea of inserting into the "middle" or even at the end of a table is meaningless. Don't count on any SQL database giving you back your data in any particular order (such as order entered) unless you specifically request that order using ORDER BY. R:Base _generally_ gives you data back in as-entered order, but not always. Other systems _never_ give you data back in as-entered order -- they often default to ordering by primary key value. > -- > Larry
